Leveling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A leveling apparatus for a motor driven vehicle having its blade arranged on a rotating plane disposed beneath a triangularly shaped pivot seat wherein its front end is extended in a ball joint on the chassis of the vehicle and wherein the opposite ends are suspended via ball joints and pivotably arranged on hoists which are freely supported in all directions and mounted on the vehicle chassis so that coupled to the front end of the pivot seat is a bolt casing which receives a bolt containing a ball at its end for the ball joint suspension, the axis of the ball being displaced from the axis of the bolt contained within the bolt casing so that when the bolt is pivoted, the height of the vehicle chassis can be adjusted accordingly.

United States Patent B I H Inventor Werner Mittels'ladt Kissing, near Augsburg, Germany Appl. No. 823.358 Filed May 9, I969 Patented July 27, 197] Assignec Eisenwerlt Gebr. Frisch KG Augsburg, Germany Priority May 14, I968 Germany P l7 59 556.1

LEVELING APPARATUS 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[15. Cl 172/781, 172/680, 280/490 Int. Cl 1302f 3 l 2, A01 b 35/22 Field otSearch 172/781,

Primary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Stephen C. Pellegrino AnomeyAllison C. Collard ABSTRACT: A leveling apparatus for a motor driven vehicle having its blade arranged on a rotating plane disposed beneath a triangularly shaped pivot seat wherein its front end is extended in a ball joint on the chassis of the vehicle and wherein the opposite ends are suspended via ball joints and pivotably arranged on hoists which are freely supported in all directions and mounted on the vehicle chassis so that coupled to the front end of the pivot seat is a bolt casing which receives a bolt containing a ball at its end for the ball joint suspension, the axis of the ball being displaced from the axis of the bolt contained within the bolt casing so that when the bolt is pivoted, the height of the vehicle chassis can be adjusted accordingly.

PATENTEUJULNIQYI 3.595320 SHEET 1 [1F 2 LEVELING APPARATUS The present invention relates, in general, to a motor driven leveler.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a motor driven leveler having a blade which is mounted on a rotating blade beneath a triangularly shaped swivel seat. The front end of the triangularly shaped swivel seat is suspended in a ball joint, while each of the two rear ends are pivotably mounted on ball joints, which, in turn are pivotably mounted on a hoisting device. The hoisting device is mounted on a chassis.

With such a leveler, it is possible to level faces having any given banking. The disadvantage of conventional levelers is that the fixed ball joint suspension, which is adjusted in a certain angle with respect to the driving direction, positions the blade of the leveler in a fixed position with respect. to the bank to be leveled. This fixed position of the blade cannot be adjusted in any way, once it is set. Moreover, the rotary axis of the rotating plate is never positioned directly vertical with respect to the face to be leveled, due to the fact, for example, of the wear of the blade, or due to different amounts of air in the tires of the vehicle. In many cases, the rotating axis of the rotating plate is in an inclined position because the pivot for the pivot seat is slightly inclined in a deliberate rearward position, so as to provide a rather large separation between the blade and the street, while the vehicle is in transit.

Accordingly, this invention overcomes the above named disadvantages by providing a motor driven leveler in which the front end ball joint suspension may be adjusted heightwise. This arrangement permits the third point of the triangular swivel seat to also be adjusted heightwise. After adjustment to the desired bank or angle, so that the rotating axis is in a vertical position, the blade may be moved in any desired direction.

The invention may be constructed in different embodiments, for example, in a bearing console for the ball joint, adjustable for an upward and downward movement in the chassis. In another embodiment, the ball for the ball joint suspension may be arranged eccentrically to a bolt which is mounted in the direction of the movement of the vehicle and within the triangularly shaped swivel seat, whereby the bolt is so arranged that it is freely movable, or may be arrested, if so desired.

It is therefore an object according to the present invention to provide an improved motor driven leveler in which the front end ball joint suspension of a vehicle may be adjusted in height.

It is a further object according to the present invention to provide a motor driven leveler which is simple in design, easy to manufacture and reliable in operation.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which disclose several embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, as to which reference should be made to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sideview of a leveler according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the leveler, according to FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 3 shows the ball joint suspension in an enlarged scale.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the chassis 1 of the vehicle leveler rests on a total of six wheels 4, which are mounted on a front axle 2, and two rear axles 3. A triangularly shaped pivot seat 5 is suspended on chassis l in the free space between the front and the rear wheels. A rotary rim 11, for a turning plate 12, is fixedly mounted on triangularly shaped swivel seat 5. The suspension is effected by means of a front ball joint unit 6 coupled directly to chassis 1, and via two rear ball joints 7 and 8, by means of two hoisting means 9 and 10, which are slidably mounted to the chassis 1. Hoisting means 9 and 10 are freely supported in all directions. Due to the two hoisting means 9 and 10, triangular pivot seat 5 may be adjusted heightwise during its even movement, and about an imaginary pivot axis during an uneven movement, so that it can be brought into a banking position. A blade 13 is mounted on turning plate 12 and is movable around the axis of the plate.

In order to adjust the axis of blade 13 vertically with respect to the plane of the leveler, the suspension of front ball joint unit 6 is made adjustable for a height or upward movement. For this purpose as shown in FIG. 3, a bolt 15 is fixedly mounted within a bearing casing 14 on the front end of triangularly shaped swivel 5. Ball 16, for the front ball joint suspension, is mounted eccentrically so that its axis is displaced from the axis of bolt 15 by distance a. Bolt 15, and bearing casing 14 are mounted in triangularly shaped pivot seat 5 so that the axis of bolt 15 lies in the direction of the vehicle movement.

Bolt 15 may be secured in an arrested position or held in a freely movable position as desired. To accomplish this adjustment, two tooth discs 18 and 19 are mounted on the front end of bolt 15, whereby the rear tooth disc 18 is fixedly connected to bearing casing 14, and the first tooth disc 19 is fixedly connected with the bolt 15. Discs l8 and 19 are so arranged so that their respective toothed surfaces face each other and the teeth of discs 18 and 19 are engaged in normal operation until disengaged as hereinafter described. A cover member 20, covers over the rear end of bolt 15 which extends out of the end of casing 14. Cover 20 is provided with a bore 21. Fastening bolt 22 is guided through bore 21 and screwed into a tap hole 23, which is in axial alignment with bolt 15. After loosening fastener 22, bolt 15 may be displaced in longitudinal direction thereby freeing the tooth discs 18 and 19 out of their arrested position so that ball 16 can be pivoted. Ball 16 may be pivoted by means of a wrench coupled to facets 24 disposed around the axis of the ball. The amount of eccentricity a required of ball 16 with respect to bolt 15 depends from the differences which have to be bridged during the heightwise ad justment of triangular seat 5, and may be chosen at various dimensions.

While only a single embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Iclaim:

1. In a levelling apparatus for a vehicle having a blade arranged on a rotating plate disposed beneath a triangularshaped pivot seat, wherein a front end of said seat is connected to the chassis of the vehicle by universal means, and wherein two opposite ends of said seat are suspended via ball joints and pivotably arranged on hoisting means which are freely supported in all directions and slidably mounted on the vehicle chassis, said universal means comprising;

a bolt having an axis, a front end and a rear end,

a bearing casing pivotably encasing said bolt and secured to the triangularly shaped pivot seat so that the axis of said bolt lies along the direction of the vehicle movement,

a ball having an axis in in the direction of vehicle movement, serving as the front ball joint connection to said chassis and coupled to the front end of said bolt, the axis of said ball being displaced and parallel with respect to the axis of said bolt, and

means associated with said bolt and said bearing casing for arresting the pivotal movement of said bolt with respect to the bearing casing.

2. The levelling apparatus as recited in claim I, wherein said arresting means comprises;

a first toothed disc fixedly mounted to said ball, adjacent to said bolt,

a second toothed disc fixedly mounted to the front end of said bearing casing having its toothed surface arranged for engagement with the toothed surface of said first toothed disc, and

means for securing together said first and second toothed threadably engaged to the rear end of said bolt, said discs to arrest the pivotable movement of said bolt. fastener being in axial alignment with said bolt. 7

T levelling PP recited in Claim wherein Said 4. The levelling apparatus as recited in claim 3 which addisecmng means compnsesi tionally comprises adjusting facets disposed around the axis of a cover member disposed over the rear end of said bolt and in contact with the rear end of said casing, said cover member including an axial bore, and

a stud fastener disposed within said axial bore and said bolt for receiving a wrench, said facets being disposed between said ball and said bolt. 

1. In a levelling apparatus for a vehicle having a blade arranged on a rotating plate disposed beneath a triangular-shaped pivot seat, wherein a front end of said seat is connected to the chassis of the vehicle by universal means, and wherein two opposite ends of said seat are suspended via ball joints and pivotably arranged on hoisting means which are freely supported in all directions and slidably mounted on the vehicle chassis, said universal means comprising; a bolt having an axis, a front end and a rear end, a bearing casing pivotably encasing said bolt and secured to the triangularly shaped pivot seat so that the axis of said bolt lies along the direction of the vehicle movement, a ball having an axis in in the direction of vehicle movement, serving as the front ball joint connection to said chassis and coupled to the front end of said bolt, the axis of said ball being displaced and parallel with respect to the axis of said bolt, and means associated with said bolt and said bearing casing for arresting the pivotal movement of said bolt with respect to the bearing casing.
 2. The levelling apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said arresting means comprises; a first toothed disc fixedly mounted to said ball, adjacent to said bolt, a second toothed disc fixedly mounted to the front end of said bearing casing having its toothed surface arranged for engagement with the toothed surface of said first toothed disc, and means for securing together said first and second toothed discs to arrest the pivotable movement of said bolt.
 3. The levelling apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said securing means comprises; a cover member disposed over the rear end of said bolt and in contact with the rear end of said casing, said cover member including an axial bore, and a stud fastener disposed within said axial bore and threadably engaged to the rear end of said bolt, said fastener being in axial alignment with said bolt.
 4. The levelling apparatus as recited in claim 3 which additionally comprises adjusting facets disposed around the axis of said bolt for receiving a wrench, said facets being disposed between said ball and said bolt. 